2024 Dayton Holiday Festival Grande Illumination & Dayton Children's Parade

Dayton Holiday Festival 2024

Celebrating its 52nd year, the Dayton Holiday Festival is your source for family-friendly holiday fun in downtown Dayton

Started by Mrs. Virginia Kettering in 1972 so that all children could enjoy the holiday season regardless of their economic means, the festival continues today with free attractions for the community.

Activities at the 2024 Dayton Holiday Festival

The Grande Illumination tree-lighting ceremony – FREE – 7p.m. Watch the holidays light up during Dayton’s traditional tree lighting. When we throw the switch, approximately 50,000 lights will brighten the two-story-tall tree on Courthouse Square!

Dayton Children's Parade Spectacular in Lights – FREE – Immediately following the tree lighting, the Children’s Parade will round the corner of Second and Main streets to start its route through downtown, sparkling with more than 100,000 lights! Watch decorative seasonal floats, horses, drill teams and bands, and some special holiday treats. 

Live musical entertainment – FREE – Enjoy holiday songs and other live entertainment on the Courthouse Square Main Stage leading up to the lighting ceremony.

Scheduled Main Stage performers include:

• 3:05-3:30 p.m. – Dayton Celebration Chorus
• 3:35-4:15 p.m. - SaxTone
• 4:25-5:05 p.m. – Tori Lee
• 5:15-5:55 p.m. – Café con Leche
• 6:05-6:55 p.m. – Sam King + The Suspects

Live Reindeer – FREE – Meet our North Pole ambassadors! Two of Santa’s reindeer will be available to meet on Courthouse Square. Don’t miss your chance to take your picture on Santa’s sleigh!  

Street Fair on Third – FREE – Enjoy free rides and other activities for kids throughout the evening!

Horse-drawn Wagon Rides – Enjoy a wagon ride through downtown! Plan to come early, as the rides are very popular and lines can be long (Please note that in order to ensure everyone in line will get a ride, it is often necessary to close the line earlier than the scheduled end time.) Suggested donation: $1 per person.

Holiday Village – FREE –  Enjoy festive activities, music, and lots of surprises for kids. Free. 

Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays – FREE – View all the delicious contest entries and the award-winning houses, and vote for your favorite, located inside the old Montgomery County courthouse.

Rike’s Holiday Windows – FREE – Located inside the Schuster Center Wintergarden, experience a reimagining of the Rike’s department store holiday window displays that once stood at this busy downtown corner.

Visit the Candy Cane Clubhouse to take an ‘elfie,’ see Mrs. Kettering’s model train, and make a souvenir – Warm up with more fun, activities, and entertainment inside the Candy Cane Clubhouse at STRATACACHE Tower!

Scheduled performers at the Candy Cane Clubhouse include:

• 3:00-3:50 p.m. – Magic by Dave
• 4:00-4:50 p.m. – Juggling by Crazy Craig Muhlenkamp
• 5:00-6:00 p.m. – Disney Princess Sing-Along and Meet & Greet
• 6:00-7:00 p.m. – River City Puppet Show

Virginia Ketterings Holiday Train Display – FREE – View this one-of-a-kind model train display given to the community by Mrs. Virginia Kettering.

Photos: Holiday Festival - downtown Dayton

Links & Tags

Downtown Dayton Partnership.

Downtown Dayton Partnership - A nonprofit organization that includes information about working, living and having fun in downtown Dayton.